70 raiders seize, plunder Zhanaozen city administration

Criminals were destroying office equipment, furniture and burn down archives

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Photo www.aktau-news.kz

ASTANA, December 17 (Itar-Tass) — The Zhanaozen city administration was seized and plundered by a group of 70 armed raiders on Friday, spokesman of the national prosecutor general Nurdaulet Suindikov told a briefing on Saturday.

Criminals were destroying office equipment, furniture and burn down archives. “The fate of the personnel staying in their offices was unknown. The building itself was on fire,” Suindikov said.

Police tried to help staffers of the city administration. But on their way police were attacked by the crowd. Fire was opened at policemen. In return police forced to use force, Suindikov explained. “Thus, several active participants in the riots have been injured,” he said.

At the same time, the spokesman did not specify the number of those who attacked policemen.

The death toll from the Friday riots in the Kazakh oil city of Zhanaozen rose to 11. Another dead person has been found in Zhanaozen, Suindikov said.

“When the accident scene has been examined, the body of a dead man has been found,” the spokesman said, adding that the man had died of burns.

According to the Kazakhstani Prosecutor’s General Office, during the riots in Zhanaozen, a total of 46 facilities have been ravaged and set of fire. Among these facilities, the Prosecutor’s General Office named the city administration, the hotel and the Ozenmunaigaz Company’s building, as well as two dozens of cars of peaceful civilians.

“By now, a total of 70 participants in the riots have been detained,” Suindinov said.

The riots broke out during celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. The city administration building, hotels, the office of Uzenmunaigaz Oil and Gas Company were burned down, as well as cars and ATMs.